Logan Stieber is the greatest champion in the history of Ohio State wrestling. This past Saturday, the Monroeville native won his third consecutive national championship when he beat Virginia Techís Devin Carter in the NCAA final at 141 pounds.
His three titles are more than anyone who has ever worn a scarlet and gray singlet. He has a chance to become just the fourth wrestler in NCAA history to win four national championships.
Anyone who has ever known a competitive wrestler, especially an elite one, knows how much discipline it takes to succeed in this sport. The running. The lifting. The climbing. The sparring. The dieting.
Itís 12 months a year of proper conditioning and pure dedication that few outside the sport can even hope to grasp. And Logan Stieber has done it as well as anyone ever has.
But donít you think for a second that he did it alone.
You see, with every rep on the bench press that Logan powered up, building strength and endurance that would serve him well each time he stepped on the mat, a special someone was there to spot him.
With every sit-up he did, tightening those abs into a rock-hard and razor-sharp 8-pack, his special someone was there to hold his feet down.
With every mile Logan would run through the streets of Columbus, strengthening his legs and expanding his cardiovascular capacity, there was his motivator, pounding the pavement alongside him.
So who is this mystery man who played such an integral role in Stieberís success? Who pushed him beyond his own limitations, elevating him to the national champion he became?
Why it was Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, of course.
Wait, what? You mean he wasnít? You mean Smith played no role whatsoever in Loganís monumental achievement?
Well thatís odd. Because, for some reason, when Logan mounted the victory stand after Saturdayís championship match, both he and Smith were rewarded for their efforts.
The rewards?
Well, for 12 months (since his last championship) of blood, sweat, and agony, Stieber got a trophy.
And for 12 months of doing absolutely nothing related to training, coaching, or assisting Stieber, Smith got $18,000.
That seems fair.
Now before you jump ahead and assume this is another one of those ďPay college athletesĒ arguments that have been made time and again in newspaper columns and on radio talk shows ó it isnít. I am a firm believer that the $150,000 to $200,000 scholarship that Division I athletes receive is compensation enough for four years of participation in their sports. Having said that, however, come on.
Even the most staunch opponents of paying salaries or stipends to college athletes, including yours truly, would have to admit there is something inherently wrong with a bonus check being cut to a man in the athletic department that had nothing to do with an individualís championship effort, rather than to the individual.
Would I be opposed if a coach were compensated with a bonus for leading his team to a national championship? Of course not. Coaches directly impact, and in many cases orchestrate, the championship success of his players. And leading a team of athletes to victory would certainly justify some sort of contractual incentive resulting in bonus pay.
But Gene Smith is not a coach. And the Ohio State wrestling team didnít win the team national championship. The only person responsible for Logan Stieberís national championship is Logan Stieber. Yet itís Smith who gets to make an extra trip to the bank this week with a new deposit, while Stieber gets to go back to class.
Everyone knows and accepts that elite college athletes generate a ton of money for their universities through their revenue-generating sports ó of which wrestling is not one, by the way. And everyone knows that university salaries are paid by the money those sports generate, including Smithís. But for Smith to actually cash a specific check based on one athleteís individual brilliance, on top of the ridiculously large $940,000-plus base salary he receives, is wrong on far too many levels.
Itís wrong because heís getting paid for Stieberís work while Stieber isnít.
Itís wrong because Smithís contract calls for another 18 grand for every individual title won. That means if an OSU tennis player wins a national title, along with a swimmer, a runner, a golfer and a pole vaulter, Smith cha-chings his way to another $90,000. The competitors get nothing.
Itís wrong because the cost of tuition, room and board at virtually all universities has skyrocketed out of control, and excessive monies generated by sports could help lower the burden on students and families rather than lining the pockets of rich ADís.
Itís wrong because some things are just Ö wrong.
Thereís only one way out of this public relations disaster for Smith, but if his butchering of the Jim Tressel situation nearly four years ago is any indication, he wonít do it: Smith needs to publicly donate the $18,000 he did not earn to a Columbus charity.
And the donation should be in the name of Logan Stieber.
The gesture wouldnít solve the problems created by these types of ridiculous contracts, but it would be a classy move that would reflect well on everyone, from the AD to the wrestler to the university.
But donít hold your breath. This is Gene Smith weíre talking about. He survived his botched handling of Tressel and actually got a raise on the back end. He has absolutely no incentive to do the right thing.
Oh, and hey Stieber: Get back to work. Youíve got a championship to defend. Uncle Gene needs a new in-ground pool.